Reverb Machine MinotaurMinotaur is a preset pack designed for Arturia Mini V4, focused on raw, aggressive, and dark sounds. Most of the 80 presets in this collection are monophonic, giving you basses, leads, arpeggiators... Read More

BFD Drums release BFD 3.5 BFD 3.5 boasts a wealth of new kits, mix-ready presets and advanced modelling technology that promises to improve tom resonance and cymbal swells.

New research suggests music with a “groove” is better than ambient music for productivityMany streaming platforms offer ‘functional playlists’, often with calm soundscapes designed to boost productivity while working. However, new research suggests “groovier” music may be a better choice to improve brainpower.
A study, completed at New York University and published in the academic journal PLOS One, involved 280 participants split into four groups. Each group listened to different ‘auditory backdrops’ – office noise, pop music, deep focus and work flow.

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“The ‘work flow’ music we tested was characterised by strong rhythm with simple tonality, broadly distributed spectral energy below ~6000 Hz, and moderate dynamism,” the study’s authors explain. “By contrast, the ‘deep focus’ music that we tested was more minimalistic, with similarly simple tonality, but weaker rhythm, lower and more restricted spectral energy, and more reserved dynamism.”
These participants completed a mood questionnaire before and after the study and were given a “flanker task” to complete while listening to music. This involved repeatedly saying which way an arrow is pointing when surrounded by other symbols, and was designed to measure attention levels and mental processing.
The results showed the work flow music had a significant improvement on mood after the flanker task, and participants responded to the task more quickly over time while listening.
“There was a correlation between how much their mood improved and how fast they were providing correct answers.” Senior study author Pablo Ripollés summarises. “This is just a first study, but we hypothesise that the work flow music had an effect on both mood and speed of [mental] processing because it was liked and groovy at the same time.”
Ripollés also suggested that despite pop music’s potential to improve mood via groove, the lyrics and sudden melody changes may instead be distracting and harm cognitive performance as a result.
Ultimately, while calming, minimalist playlists have become a staple for productivity, new research suggests “groovier” music with stronger rhythms could enhance cognitive performance and mood. By improving focus and boosting mood, this study highlights the potential of upbeat, rhythmic music in optimising how we work and study.
Might it be time to rethink our go-to playlists for better concentration and motivation?
The post New research suggests music with a “groove” is better than ambient music for productivity appeared first on MusicTech.

DistroKid union blasts company over recent layoffs and slow talks: “My perception is that they were not bargaining in good faith”Music distribution service DistroKid remains under fire from its employee union after laying off 37 workers last November.
The company, which distributes around 30 to 40 per cent of all new music globally, claimed that the cuts were part of a larger effort to improve customer service, specifically “by expanding to 24/7 customer service with faster response times.”
At that time, the union voiced its concerns, stating that half of the affected unionised workforce was targeted by the cuts, including five out of seven members of the bargaining committee.

READ MORE: “I don’t f**k with Spotify anymore”: Snoop Dogg to cut ties with Spotify in favour of Web3 platform Tune.FM

Now, union chapter president Bill Bores has spoken to Billboard, criticising the slow progress of collective bargaining talks and highlighting the company’s decision to replace US staff with an outsourced support team in the Philippines, managed by offshoring firm Concentrix.
“My union knows that company very well because they have been involved in providing scabs and people to cross picket lines and thwart union drives,” Bores tells Billboard.
”So not only did they lay off American workers who are unionising, they sent their work to the Philippines to workers there that make very little compared to the workers here in New York.”
Political roadblocks have also complicated the union’s efforts. The National Labour Relations Board (NLRB), typically the arbiter in such labour disputes, finds itself hamstrung after one of its board members was fired by president Donald Trump, leaving it unable to hear complaints or enforce action.
In response to the criticism, DistroKid defends its decision, stating: “Since initiating our ramp-up to 24/7 support late last year, artist response times have improved by 74 per cent over the past three months and 90 per cent year-over-year.”
“Achieving this level of service required making difficult decisions that impacted valued team members, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions.”
One former employee, Wilson Rahn, however, disputes DistroKid’s claims, arguing that the company’s decision was not about improving service but about targeting union supporters.
“My perception is that they were not bargaining in good faith,” Rahn says. “I worked on their customer support funnel, made it faster and more effective and had a record of showing that I was succeeding in that. So my firing is pretty clearly, in my opinion, just because I was vocally supportive of the union.”
With limited legal avenues available, Bores says the union’s only option now is to apply public pressure to force DistroKid to return to talks. While union and company representatives held their first collective bargaining session last July, discussions have stalled due to a supposed lack of availability from DistroKid’s side.
“We finally got something on the calendar with them for October,” Bores recalls, “when the company’s attorney called me and said they’re going to fire half the unit.” The 37 affected employees were initially placed on administrative leave before being officially terminated — many of whom had been vocal in supporting the union effort.
The post DistroKid union blasts company over recent layoffs and slow talks: “My perception is that they were not bargaining in good faith” appeared first on MusicTech.

Korg scammers — stay alert, synth fans: “We strongly urge you to remain vigilant”Korg has warned synth fans and producers about scammers impersonating the brand and offering fake influencer or membership opportunities to online individuals.
In an announcement posted across its social media accounts, Korg says it has been recently made aware of a scammer posing as a member of its staff.

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“This scammer is contacting people through a Gmail account, falsely claiming to offer opportunities in an influencer or membership program, and requesting money, personal information, etc.”
Korg states that these communications are entirely “fraudulent” and not from Korg or any legitimate representative of Korg. It also stresses that the company does not use Gmail for official communication.
“We would never ask you for payment or personal banking information,” Korg adds, before urging fans to “remain vigilant, report any suspicious activity on the respective platforms from which you received it, and block any accounts that seem questionable.⁠”
“Thank you for your attention, and please be safe.”
MusicTech has reached out to Korg for a statement.

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Last week, Korg announced the passing of its President and Representative Director Seiki Kato, at the age of 67, following an illness.
“Mr. Kato was a visionary leader whose dedication and passion for innovation shaped the future of Korg and the music industry,” the brand wrote in a statement. “From his early days in domestic sales to his pivotal role in the development of groundbreaking instruments such as the M1, his contributions have left an indelible mark on the world of music.”
“As President of Korg USA and later Korg Inc., Mr Kato’s leadership and commitment to excellence were instrumental in expanding our global presence. His warm, compassionate spirit and exceptional guidance earned him the deep respect and trust of colleagues and industry partners alike.”
“We remain committed to carrying forward his passion and spirit of innovation, striving to inspire musicians around the world, just as his legacy will continue to inspire us all.”
In other Korg news, the company’s President and Representative Director, Seiki Kato, passed away this week at the age of 67. Kato, the son of Korg co-founder Tsutomu Kato, played an integral role in the success of the Korg M1 synthesizer as the brand’s head of product.
In a statement, Korg said: “Mr. Kato was a visionary leader whose dedication and passion for innovation shaped the future of Korg and the music industry. From his early days in domestic sales to his pivotal role in the development of groundbreaking instruments such as the M1, his contributions have left an indelible mark on the world of music.”
“We remain committed to carrying forward his passion and spirit of innovation, striving to inspire musicians around the world, just as his legacy will continue to inspire us all.”
Read more music technology news. 
The post Korg scammers — stay alert, synth fans: “We strongly urge you to remain vigilant” appeared first on MusicTech.

Audiomovers expand Omnibus 3 with Minibus plug-in Audiomovers' virtual patchbay software suite has gained an additional plug-in that will allow multiple systems on the same network to communicate via the widely adopted NDI protocol.

Colors of noise: White noise, brown noise, pink noise (and more)
From white noise and pink noise to more obscure variants, learn about the various colors of noise, their use cases, and their differences.

Tapbots teases a new Bluesky app, Phoenix, saying it can’t ‘survive on Mastodon alone’There’s a new Bluesky app in the works from a popular developer of iOS applications. Tapbots, the company behind the popular Mastodon client Ivory, born out of its earlier efforts with Tweetbot (RIP), is readying a new app called Phoenix, designed for Bluesky’s growing social network of over 32 million users. In a post on […]
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ETHDenver 2025 includes policy at developer-centric eventJohn Paller, the founder of ETHDenver, suggested organizers were “not probably going to move” the crypto conference to a different US state, given high attendance and interest.

Piggyback Board Brings Touch Sensing to USB Soldering IronThe current generation of USB-powered soldering irons have a lot going for them, chief among them being portability and automatic start and stop. But an iron that turns off in the middle of soldering a joint is a problem, one that this capacitive-touch replacement control module aims to fix.
The iron in question is an SJ1 from Awgem, which [DoganM95] picked up on Ali Express. It seems well-built, with a sturdy aluminum handle, a nice OLED display, and fast heat-up and cool-down. The problem is that the iron is triggered by motion, so if you leave it still for more than a second or two, such as when you’re soldering a big joint, it turns itself off. To fix that,[DoganM95] designed a piggyback board for the OEM controller with a TTP223 capacitive touch sensor. The board is carefully shaped to allow clearance for the existing PCB components and the heater cartridge terminals, and has castellated connections so it can connect to pads on the main board. You have to remove one MOSFET from the main board, but that’s about it for modifications. A nickel strip makes contact with the inside of the iron’s shell, turning it into the sensor plate for the TTP223.
[DoganM95] says that the BA6 variant of the chip is the one you want, as others have a 10-second timeout, which would defeat the purpose of the mod. It’s a very nice bit of design work, and we especially like how the mod board nests so nicely onto the OEM controller. It reminds us a little of those Quansheng handy-talkie all-band mods.

Who’s about to buy Suicideboys’ lucrative music publishing catalog ?Rumors abound after Billboard reports that duo's masters could sell for more than $300 million
Source

HEART AT CRYPTO.COM ARENALegendary Rock band Heart played at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on Monday night (3/3). Their first concert series since 2019, Heart began their Royal Flush tour in April, 2024. Following the first 17 shows, the tour was halted as lead singer Ann Wilson had to undergo chemo therapy for medulloblastoma. The tour resumed in Las Vegas, NV in late February (2/28 and 3/1) where the band performed 13 songs the first night and 14 the second. Now, the group is back to playing a full setlist of 18 songs. Heart was formed over 50 years ago in Seattle, WA by sisters Ann (Vocals) and Nancy Wilson (Guitar/Vocals). In 2013, the original group was inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, though since the group's inception, the band has had quite a few lineup changes. In 2023, Heart reformed itself around guitarist Ryan Wariner, keyboardist Paul Moak, bassist Tony Lucido, and drummer Sean T. Lane—guitarist Ryan Waters was the only returning member from their 2019 lineup. Following an opening set from British rockers Squeeze, Heart took the stage at 9:30 PM. Before their performance, the group’s tour photographer came onstage to announce that Ann Wilson would be performing seated as she had fractured her elbow. One elated fan received a setlist signed by the entire band. A video montage showed the audience the year-by-year evolution of the band where a single event represented each year (whether historical or pop culture related), concluding in 2024. Afterwards, projections on the curtains of the stage signified not only a new year for the band, but that the show was about to begin. The first song of the night was “Bebe Le Strange.” As Ann Wilson said, the set represented each part of their career, and with songs like “Straight On,” “Crazy On You,” “Alone,” "What About Love,” “Magic Man,” and the final song, “Barracuda,” the setlist did just that. Heart also covered David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California,” and “The Ocean,” and Lovemongers' “Sand.” They closed the night with “4 Edward" from Ann Wilson’s solo catalog. Photos by Criss CainThe post HEART AT CRYPTO.COM ARENA first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Unplugred releases FREE Magic Carpet quirky (in a good way) delay plugin
Unplugred has released multiple well-received plugins over the past couple of years, and the popular developer is back with another typically quirky offering – Magic Carpet, a free delay plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Last year, we got Diet Audio, the free spectral gate plugin, and before that, we had Prisma, a multiband distortion. [...]
View post: Unplugred releases FREE Magic Carpet quirky (in a good way) delay plugin

Shure introduce wireless MoveMic 88+ The MoveMic 88+ has been designed to allow content creators and videographers to choose the best microphone placement without sacrificing the perfect shot.

“I don’t f**k with Spotify anymore”: Snoop Dogg to cut ties with Spotify in favour of Web3 platform Tune.FMWhat with him selling “virtual cannabis goods” in the metaverse and claiming to run an NFT-loving social media account, Snoop Dogg has been intrigued by the blockchain for quite some time. Now, the rapper has decided to take the plunge and move his work over to blockchain-based streaming service Tune.FM.
Despite currently having nearly 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Snoop plans to gradually migrate his entire catalogue over to Tune.FM. “I don’t fuck with Spotify anymore,” he reveals in a Billboard exclusive. “I’m only on Tune.FM.”

READ MORE: James Blake: “There’s money in streaming services – it’s just being diverted to the wrong places”

The decision comes after a long-spanning dispute with Spotify over royalties. In December 2023, Snoop told the Business United podcast that the payout for hitting a billion streams was ridiculously low. “They sent me some s**t from Spotify where I got a billion streams,” he recalled. “My publisher hit me. I said, ‘Break that down, how much money is that?’ That s**t wasn’t even $45,000.”
In response, a Spotify spokesperson told TMZ that “it’s well documented that a billion streams on Spotify generates millions of dollars to rights holders. It’s unfortunate to hear that Spotify’s payments didn’t make it through to Snoop.”

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Musicians are increasingly coming forward claiming they have receives low payouts from Spotify’s. However, the streaming giant claims its royalty payments are fair. “Spotify paid out $10 billion to the music industry last year and has paid out $60 billion all time,” the company told Guitar.com last month.
“Our music subscription competitors haven’t reported their subscriber figures or music industry payouts in years, because they pay far less,” Spotify concluded.
Regardless of Spotify’s claims, Snoop is still jumping ship. His new streaming home Tune.FM is built on a promise that “when a tune gets played, the artist gets paid”.
According to a Tune.FM spokesperson: “Tune.FM operates under non-exclusive licensing agreements, enabling us to unlock new revenue streams for under-monetised catalogues and artist IP on both our streaming platform and marketplace.”
The Web3 streaming platform has its own native cryptocurrency (JAM) which has instant micropayments per second streamed. Once a user signs up, they can spend JAM tokens to stream tracks, invest in artists and earn royalties. Tokens can also gain access to exclusive content.
One such track users can stream is Spaceship Party, Snoop’s first project being streamed exclusively on Tune.FM. The track even features a violin performance from Tune.FM’s founder, Andrew Antar.
Antar and Snoop first crossed paths at the Crypto Ball, a celebration that marked President Donald Trump’s inauguration back in January. It didn’t take much to convince Snoop of the platform’s perks.
“We are thrilled to welcome Snoop Dogg as the face of Tune.FM,” Antar tells Billboard. “Snoop is the OG pioneer who is always on the cutting edge of technology and new ways of doing business. He totally gets it, and we are ready to take on the world together.”
In the future, Billboard reveals that Snoop plans to use Tune.FM to host fan giveaways, including “a private event at his house and VIP prize tiers”.

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Head to Snoop Dogg’s Tune.FM page to find out more.
The post “I don’t f**k with Spotify anymore”: Snoop Dogg to cut ties with Spotify in favour of Web3 platform Tune.FM appeared first on MusicTech.